Paper Hearts
by xoxmeh
Summary: In order to keep herself off of the streets, Rey finds herself becoming the possession of one Ben Solo. In exchange, she is asked to produce an heir. His heir.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: This is my first story in I don't even know how long. I started in a completely different fandom on and have ended up on here, nearly ten years later. If there's anything that I'm missing, kindly let me know! I want to get back to the author that I used to be.

/

She sighed heavily as she glanced down at her phone, unhappy with what she was seeing. Her bank account was slowly approaching zero and she couldn't seem to stop it. Even working the two and a half jobs she had, she could barely afford to keep a roof over her head. The bills seemed to keep piling up and she was only ever able to make the minimums. She had one maxed out credit card and no one to run to for help.

She continued walking down the street, avoiding the screen now and shifting her bag on her shoulder. She hadn't accounted on the light drizzle that was now coating her face and she couldn't help but stare longingly at each passing car. Although she'd come a long way from the low income neighborhoods of England, she could never picture herself owning a car. Thinking back to her bank account balance, she _knew _she'd never be able to. She would be lucky to afford her rent for the rest of the year.

The chilled December air blew against her ears and she regretted forgetting her warm cap at home. Making her way to job number two, dreading whatever the next eight hours would bring. Walking through the door, she was met with her work husband, eagerly awaiting her company.

The hotel lobby where she worked was nearly dead during the afternoon hours. There was little to keep either of them busy throughout the first five hours, only followed by a barrage of what she considered yuppy folk. While she was jealous of the money that she figured she'd never have, she couldn't help but be glad for the manners she had been taught by her multiple foster families.

As far as families went, she was blessed in the fact that she had only been to three before being legally adopted. While her adoptive family hadn't had much, they made up for in affection. She felt guilty daily about her decision to leave them behind to pursue a new beginning. She was nearly ashamed that she hadn't made any progress towards it. In fact, she would probably be doing better had she stayed home.

"So I went on that date last night," Finn said excitedly. He'd never had much luck with women and had resorted to trying tinder.

"Oh?" She smirked, turning in her chair to face him. "I'm going to need all the details."

/

During the sixth hour of her shift, she caught a glimpse of him. She'd considered him gorgeous at first glance; tousled dark hair hiding large ears with cute moles flecking his face. He didn't look at her; maybe like many other clients he considered himself too much to bother with a simple receptionist. While he was beautiful, she had hoped that he'd approach Finn rather than her. She glanced next to herself and realized that he had just gone on his last break before leaving.

"Hello, sir," she had to greet first, internally rolling her eyes as he still wouldn't glance up from the tablet he held in his hands. She waited for him to say something, anything, but nothing came. "How can I help you?"

He still didn't look at her, instead approaching the counter closer and moving to comfortably rest his tablet against the tile. He seemed huge next to her. She wasn't a small woman, sure, petite in weight, but slightly above average in height, but he still seemed like he would tower over her if she'd been standing closer.

He finally glanced up and seemed to pause; frozen for a second while he took in her features.

"Ben Solo," He replied, not even giving a greeting. Too good for a greeting, she figured.

"Certainly, sir." She hated clients who ignored her but knew better than to think of calling them out. Instead, she typed the name into her computer and easily found his reservation. Paid for through a company credit card, he had a reservation to a suite. Of course, she rolled her eyes again.

As she hit the enter button to complete his check-in and hand him his room key, he finally looked up. She felt the thunder of the glance. The room seemed to freeze along with him as their met eyes, low lobby music playing in the background. She felt awkward, not knowing how to react to such a response from a customer.

"If you would, sir," she tried smiling as she finished printing the legal notice for him to sign. She reached for a pen to hand him and he continued to stare, almost confused. "Sir," she again prodded and finally snapped him from his gaze.

"Right," he replied quickly, grabbing the pen from her hand with trembling fingers. "How old are you?"

Her nose wrinkled at the question, not quite sure what to think of it. She knew it wasn't any of his business but her manners told her otherwise.

"Twenty-eight," she replied with a smile, slowly reaching to slide his key card across the counter. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

He opened his mouth to say something and seemed to think better of it. He closed his mouth and lightly shook his head before picking up the card.

"No, thanks." And he turned to leave, a single suitcase following suit as he made his way towards the elevator. She knew the room he was headed towards; it had a huge living room overlooking the city with a bathroom that was almost as big as her apartment. She could almost picture him soaking in the giant tub.

She could hear the elevator ding as it approached, taking the beautiful man inside of itself. Sure, there were plenty of attractive men around her age that frequented her hotel but this man had been different. Never had she felt thunder like she had when their eyes had met. Less thunder on her side, but all intensity from his. She shuddered slightly at the thought, watching at the hotel door shut behind him. She wished she could share something like this with her coworker, but didn't think it was worth the embarrassment.

/

He rubbed his temples as his plane landed, mind overwhelmed with the amount of work he'd be doing on this trip. Converting a client who had been against him for nearly a decade wouldn't be easy which was why they had sent him. Sweet talking with a side of dominance was his forte and he was confident in himself but frowned at the amount of effort that he didn't have the energy to exert.

He stood from his seat in first class as the flight attendant motioned towards the door to begin letting passengers off. The flight hadn't been anything special; a few hours preceded and followed by a certain amount of waiting. It was something that he had grown used to. He barely gave the attendant a nod as he walked down the exit hallway, suitcase in tow. He had learned to only pack a carry-on by now.

Exiting the airport, he approached the first cab that he spotted, immediately naming the hotel that he had reservations in. As the cab began to move, he pulled out his company tablet to begin scanning the emails he already knew he would have.

As second in command, much of the responsibility of the company rested on his shoulders. From a young age, he had been groomed to be able to take it over one day. He had graduated high school and college with honors; followed by a double major in business and pharmaceuticals in order to be prepared. It wasn't necessary, as the company was family owned, but he wanted to feel some sort of accomplishment once he inherited it. His mother had inherited it before him and his father had married into it. Money had never been an issue to him.

As his taxi pulled into the entrance to his hotel, he closed the screen to his tablet and exited the car. The cabbie was quick to retrieve his luggage from the trunk and he thanked him with a generous tip.

Walking in through the automatic doors, he had once again responded to the familiar blip of his tablet receiving an email. He pulled it out and realized it was urgent as he approached the counter. He continued reading as the young woman behind the counter asked for his name.

He replied without much thought, lost in the content of the latest company email. Someone had quit and they were already looking at names to be promoted and other names to be hired. He was skimming the list for anyone familiar as she spoke up, asking him to sign a slip that she slid across the counter.

It was then that he looked up; overtaken by her hazel eyes and thin smile. The British accent shook him to his core. He knew how forced it must have been and realized how rude he must have appeared. He was shaken by her beauty.

His hands shook as she spoke, as if he had never seen a beautiful woman before. Before he could stop himself, he found himself asking her age.

"Twenty-four," she replied matter-of-factly, asserting herself enough to show that she wasn't interested in conversation. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

He almost felt embarrassed at the realization of what he'd said. Asking a random woman her age, he knew deep down why, but asking nonetheless. His mother had been in charge of this task; in charge of finding an appropriate woman. But his heart had seemed to skip a beat the moment he laid eyes on her.

He cleared his throat and shook his head lightly before leaving the counter. He walked towards the elevator as quickly as he could; thrown off by how thrown off he had become. This was the situation his mother had hoped to put him in but he'd never thought that it would actually happen.

This woman, this woman who worked at the check-in desk at his hotel, had seemed to meet every requirement that he'd hoped to fulfill. Only, she was even more perfect. Every angle to her face left him choking on his own tongue. He had never thought that he would find any woman to show interest in; he had never _been _interested in a woman who had showed interest in him. But here he was, shocked and confused and completely unsure how to handle himself or even mention this to his mother.

Would he rather select his own woman— and he felt like a monster thinking it, selecting a woman like cattle— or would he rather his mother pick the mother of his future child? The company depended on it, with his father being deceased. His parents had agreed that the company be inherited by the child of their only son but a child seemed less and less likely by the day.

At the age of thirty-eight, Ben had little interest in settling down with any single woman. He had enjoyed his privileged life until this point and continued to do so. His money allowed him the freedom to entertain any kind of woman, whether she was seeking something for the night or even a few months. He had yet to find anyone he could get along with much longer. His mother, on the other hand, had felt the need to solidify an heir before she retired. She hadn't even been what Ben would consider old but she insisted that she be able to leave the inheritance to a child.

From the young age of ten, when his father had passed, his mother had made it quite clear as to how things would be once she passed. Ben had pointed out how far off that may be but she had insisted, as to how so the search had begun. He refused to marry this young, because he didn't even know if he agreed in the concept of marriage. So his mother had resorted to surrogacy agencies, because, to her, adoption was out of the question.

And for the first time since he'd started what seemed like a wild goose chase, he'd seen woman who he had actually felt interested in; someone who seemed confident in herself in just the right way to be up for the task. He might not be able to love her like his mother wanted, but he may be able to sway her into a better lifestyle.

As he slid the keycard into its lock, he began to think of a reason to go and talk to the young woman. The last thing he wanted was to appear creepy or make her uncomfortable in any type of way. On a regular business trip, he would usually order in for dinner. It was a rare occasion that he would leave the hotel for anything besides business meetings.

Placing his luggage on the table as he usually did, he walked into the large bathroom to look at himself in the mirror. He knew that he was an acquired taste; not every woman he met was into the looks that he had. Some would say he was unattractive, with his sharp angles and large ears. His long hair had attempted to hide some of it; wavy locks covering the outer corners of his forehead and cheeks. He stared for another second, unsure if this woman would approve or not, as it always seemed to be a tossup.

He washed his hand before splashing his face with a small amount of water before patting it dry with a soft towel. He would find out, soon enough.

/

Stepping out of the elevator onto the lobby floor, the young woman was nowhere in sight. Behind the desk, he could see that her friend seemed to be packing his bag up in preparation of leaving. She's probably on break, he figured, thanking whatever God seemed to be blessing him.

Confidently, he approached the desk, making sure to puff his chest slightly and hold his shoulders high. The other man seemed to stiffen at the sight, dropping what he'd been doing to focus his attention on his customer.

"Hello," he greeted, standing up straight as the other approached. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

Ben wasn't sure how to answer at first. He froze for a moment, focusing on not embarrassing himself before he would speak. What if he'd been wrong and this man knew nothing about the other girl? Or what if he'd go and laugh with her the second he left the desk.

"Yes, actually," he replied in a voice deeper than he'd planned on being. "I was hoping that I could ask you something in confidence."

The younger man looked perplexed for a moment, glancing around the lobby once before leaning onto the counter and into his eyes.

"Sure," he replied quickly and enthusiastically, surely inwardly loving the idea of gossip. Thinking to himself, Ben paused, realizing that this could mean something bad.

"I'd like to ask about the woman you work with," he paused at that, waiting to gauge his expression before he continued. The other seemed to raise an eyebrow with his question, thrown off slightly yet still seemingly interested. He nodded once he regained his composure, asking Ben to continue with his question. "What's her name?"

It seemed innocent enough and he didn't know another way to start this conversation. He had many more pressing questions to ask, and he wished he could, but neither of them knew each other and he didn't want to give himself away completely.

"Her? Um, Rey," he spoke, confusion showing on his face before he straightened up, placing both of his hands in front of him. "Can I ask why you'd like to know?"

He tried to comfort himself, thinking that maybe this guy thought that he was asking to complain… or something. Or maybe he was used to this question, her beauty being evident and more men than just himself paying her attention.

He cleared his throat before speaking up, glancing around before continuing. "Between the two of us," he began, hoping that he would actually keep this to himself; at least for another hour or so. "I'd like to give her my business card."

Speaking up had been easier than he'd expected. His intentions were obvious but he'd hoped that they were at least shrouded a bit in possibly making it work-related.

"Uh, sure," the other replied, just as uneasy as Ben. He leaned further over the desk, expecting to take the card from him with an open hand.

"I'd like to give it to her myself, if possible."

"Sure," the other man replied, finally backing from the desk and continuing to pack his bag. "She's on her lunch and will be back in the next few minutes."

Ben sighed inwardly at that; glad that she was still there but dreading the fact that he'd have to make another excuse to come back to her.

"Do you mind me asking," he paused again, now crossing the line of professionalism and something personal. "Is she seeing anyone?"

Finn, the employee's nametag read, almost seemed to choke on air as the words left his mouth. Surely other customers had asked him that before, with how gorgeous she was and how she smiled. Yes, it was her job and he didn't want to overstep the line of client and employee, but he was so taken aback by her.

"No, she's not," Finn replied after an awkward moment of silence. It was then that Ben decided to stop with the nervous games; he remembered who he was and how confidence was his job. He could sell this like any other sale he made. "I'm not positive she's looking for anyone at the moment."

He could work with that. He wasn't looking for her to commit herself to _him,_ just another job. An insanely high paying job.

He nodded at that, not sure if he should sit in the lobby or go back to his room. Which would be more appropriate? He tried to silence his insecure thoughts, channeling his confidence. He _could_ do this, he told himself over and over. Surely she'd be back any moment now. Hopefully before Finn had the chance to spill what had just happened.

As if on cue, the door behind the counter swung open, revealing the girl—Rey— to his nosy eyes. And the worst thing that could have happened, happened. He watched as Finn bent down, bag securely placed on his shoulder and ready to leave, and whispered something into her ear. She blushed slightly before reining it in and clearing her throat. She was trying her best to be professional, which he appreciated.

Before he could say another word, Ben took a deep breath and stood, striding across the lobby entrance and towards the desk.

"Hi," he tried his best to lay on his flirty voice, watching as she instantly turned bright red. "I was hoping that I could take you to dinner."

He was right to the point, not leaving her room to overthink what he said and not caring that her friend was there, listening. He watched as her mouth opened slightly, not sure what to say before she shook her head ever so slightly and blinked the wonder away.

"I, uh," She stammered, glancing between Finn and himself before settling on him. The silence in the room was deafening, even with the music playing on low in the background. Right as she cleared her throat to reply, the automatic sliding doors opened to their next client. As the other walked towards the counter, she again cleared her throat before nodding lightly at him, eyes boring into his own as she motioned for him to leave the desk. "I'm off at eight."

He gave her a light smirk as he nodded and slid his business card over the counter before walking back to the elevator to prepare for his date. It had gone smoother than he feared, for which he was thankful. For a man who did well with women, he found himself floundering for this one. He felt like he'd never talked to a woman before, even if this had been a much bigger task.

/

Rey sighed as she punched her number to return from her lunch break. Thursday nights weren't exactly busy but once Finn went home, she would be left to herself, bored and reading the same hotel magazine for the umpteenth time. She had only checked in so many clients that afternoon, one of which being the only man to catch her eye of the night.

His dark eyes had seemed like they stared directly into her soul. Never had she felt so helpless to only someone's eye. It was such an intense look that she wasn't at all used to and she wasn't sure if he'd wanted to fuck or kill her.

Opening the door to their small office, she was taken aback by the look that Finn shot her. He had his bag packed and was ready to leave, which left her jealous, but also confused at the light smirk he shot her way. He pulled her much closer before asking.

"That guy," he motioned to the lobby waiting area, the man from before sitting with his legs crossed and staring silently at the pair. "Asked about you and wants to give you his card." His eyebrows lightly wiggled as the tall gentleman strode across the lobby floor in what seemed like three strides. His dark eyes were focused on her already; almost intimidating her with the intensity.

"Hi," he said, and she could instantly feel her entire face turn bright red. She scanned his face, looking for something, _anything, _to focus on. "I was hoping to take you to dinner."

"I, uh," she paused, trying to get herself together enough to not embarrass herself. Her cheeks probably turned an even brighter red as she tried to look away from his intense eyes. Male attention wasn't something that she was used to. Sure, men shooting her flirty looks now and then, but the way he was staring shook her. Her usual demeanor had completely left her and she wasn't sure how to respond.

"I'm off at eight." She caught herself by surprise in the confidence in her voice, acting as if she was asked out all the time. Deep down, she was still panicking. This wasn't something that you went to work imagining. Sure, it was a scenario that many other women would fantasize about but she never saw it actually happening.

She could see the smirk on his face as he threw her a light smile before walking away. She couldn't help but notice the quality of his suit. Sure, she was used to seeing men wearing different price ranged suits but his fit so snugly in all the right places. _Custom tailored, _she thought as she stared at his butt walking away.

It took Finn to snap her out of her trance, turning to meet his ecstatic face before she could properly process what had happened.

"He wants to take you out!" He hissed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards himself.

She froze for a moment, thinking about the gorgeous man and the high paying job he must have had to pay for the custom suit that he wore. A man like that, asking to have a date with a woman like her.

"I didn't know what to say," she started as the next client stepped up to the desk, uttering his name as neither of them seemed to register it. They checked him in and shot each other desperate glances the moment he stepped into the elevator.

Finn was far more excited than she was. She hadn't been on a date in months, sure, but she also didn't have any interest in men. Especially older men, she thought to herself, realizing how much older he must have been. She didn't have a thing for older men but, at the same time, she didn't.

Finn gave her a knowing smirk before he left to clock out, leaving her with a "text me later!" as he left the building. As much as she hated it, she knew that he would be the most understanding of her friends. Dating a man through work was mostly frowned upon in her line of work.

Glancing at the clock, it was barely six. She had nearly two hours to waste before something great or horrible would happen.


	2. Chapter 2

I've only read through this once so please forgive any errors. And sorry about the mistake in Rey's age last chapter. She's 28.

Thank you for all the likes and reviews, it really means the world to me.

/

As eight o'clock slowly approached, she questioned herself more and more. Surely this had to be a huge mistake on her part, a sudden lapse in judgment as she was bored in the middle of her shift. Surely there was no way that this man, this man who was given a suite on his company's dime, could have any innocent interest in her. She wasn't completely opposed to the idea of a one night stand but she'd at least thought that she'd be able to choose the man.

As the clock struck eight, she found herself ushering in her replacement and gathering her things. She rushed to the bathroom, trying to fix the little bit of makeup that she was wearing. Had she known she was going out with an attractive man, she would have put on a full face. Thinking that she was only going to work, she had sloppily applied a basic BB cream with a light lip gloss, which furthered her loss as to why this man would be interested in her.

Emerging from the bathroom, she had crossed her fingers that she wouldn't immediately be met with his eyes but she had, of course, been wrong. There he sat, in a casual button up and black pants, staring up at her with a light smile on his face. She had been around enough men to know what a dirty smile looked like and she was surprised that he wasn't giving her one.

Crossing the room in her loose dress pants and blazer, she scratched the back of her head and smiled crookedly as she approached him, not quite sure how to handle the gaze of someone in his position. Finn wasn't here to break the awkward silence and this man, Ben—who she only knew from his business card—wasn't doing her any favors. Sure, he looked pretty enough across the room, only looking up as he heard the staff room door close behind her, but he wasn't going out of his way to make either of them comfortable.

"Hello," she awkwardly greeted, playing with the fly-aways that had fallen from her bun. She was slightly mortified when he didn't respond, slowly shrinking further and further into herself and wondering why he had invited her out in the first place.

"Hey," he finally rose to his feet, seemingly towering over her as he reached a hand out to shake. She wondered if a hand shake was an appropriate greeting given the situation—but thought better of it.

As he came in closer for the handshake, she took a second to fully appreciate his size. At least a full head taller than her, his hand fully engulfed hers as they touched. Even his shoulders seemed to be a foot taller than her and she wondered how often he must work out. His grip was far tighter than hers in their greeting, almost making her feel intimidated.

"I'm Ben," he pulled away then, surely taking her small frame in as he took the step back. She felt frozen as he watched her, feeling him watch her every movement.

"I'm Rey," she finally managed to stammer out, fiddling with a string that had come loose on her sleeve. This was already going horribly wrong and she was already wishing she had just gone home.

"Let's not be so formal," he said as he brushed a lock of hair out of his face. She had noticed his change of clothing and was jealous that changing clothes was as easy as changing occasions for him. "Where would you like to go to dinner?"

It had been the first time in nearly a year that someone had asked her that; nearly a year since she'd been able to afford it. Being invited out meant that he was offering to pay, right? She had only been asked to dinner once before and had felt terribly awkward as the bill was slid to her date.

"I, uh, honestly have no idea. What kind of food do you like?" He looked slightly displeased at her response, imagining that he'd actually _wanted _her to decide. Surely he knew of all the jokes about how women never knew where to eat? Truth be told, she was having a hard time deciding where she would be comfortable accepting a meal from. Surely a diner or pizzeria…

"I don't care what I want tonight," he said slowly, shifting on his feet to look at her from a new angle. Her cheeks brightened again at his words, digging deeper within herself to attempt to be decisive. More upper-class decisive.

She tried to imagine what other concierges would recommend to someone of higher standing. There were what seemed like hundreds of restaurants surrounding the hotel but she had only been to a handful. As she considered asking him to choose again, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked the screen.

"How about you tell me what kind of food you like," he pulled a pair of glasses from the inside pocket of his jacket as he began scrolling through his phone. "And I pick the place."

She nodded gently at that, willing herself to try her hardest to decide on a fare that they would both enjoy. Within only a second of him asking, she had a response.

"Sushi." She hadn't had sushi in years and realized that, as long as someone liked fish, she couldn't go wrong. She considered it to be out of her price range but definitely within his. She waited a moment as he scrolled through a few more screens on his phone, clearing his throat before holding it up to her face to show her the place he had picked.

Four and a half stars, she couldn't go wrong picking this place. She looked into his eyes for a second before nodding, waiting for him to turn as he motioned for her to lead the way out of the lobby. As they stepped into the chilly air outside, he announced softly that their Uber would be there within two minutes.

"So how was work?" He casually asked, sliding leather gloves onto his large hands as he watched her face.

"Oh, it was definitely boring," she said with a laugh, smiling lightly as she considered the excitement that came with her job. "I sit behind a desk most of the day."

"So we have something in common," he smiled at her again, offering the scarf that he had in his pocket to her. "I work in sales, more specifically, I sell pharmaceuticals."

Her eyes widened at that, realizing just how much money he had to be making. She could guess that he made more money in an hour than she made in a week.

"Interesting," she quipped, accepting the scarf and wrapping it around her neck, making sure it partially covered her cold ears. "How did you get into that?"

He cleared his throat again as he turned to look at her. "It was a family business. Most of my family went into it for the business aspect but I enjoy the pharmaceuticals."

"Oh, that's interesting," she continued, genuinely interested and wishing he would continue without prompting. "So how much of your family does the same thing?"

"Mostly just my mother now, maybe a cousin here or there," he glanced down the road at that, probably looking for their Uber. "Once my father passed, it was only going to be my mother and I. She'd wanted more children but had dropped the idea then. She's a partner within the company."

He took a step then, motioning out towards the street and walking towards a white Lexus. He waited for her to follow before he moved, opening the door as he looked her up and down again.

She thanked him as he closed the door behind her, quickly following suit and closing his own door softly. Now inside the confined space, she could smell his cologne more clearly; masculine and light, but strong at the same time.

"I didn't realize this place was far away," she said passively, glancing out the window and at the neon lights littering the street.

"Oh, it's not, it's just about five minutes away." She must have made a face at that because he appeared to be just as confused. Calling a luxury ride while they could have easily walked the few blocks over? This lifestyle wasn't something she was used to. "It's cold out," he continued, flexing the muscles in his hand between them. "I wouldn't let you walk in this."

Her heart almost skipped a beat at the words. Never had a man spoke like that to her, let alone gone out of his way to act on them. She gave a light nod as she looked away, wringing her cold hands in her lap as the other man glanced out his window.

"I don't usually go out at night on trips," he mentioned casually, eyes flickering from one business to the next. As she glanced over, she realized how his eyes seemed to sparkle under the fluorescents. She wasn't someone who typically got caught up in anyone's eyes but his seemed so deep, so intent, that she couldn't bring herself to look away. As he turned and saw her staring, her cheeks lit up again.

"I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. If there's anything I can do to help you relax, let me know." She wished that she could channel her inner confidence right now; to force herself to converse how she would with any other man. She knew that once they got there, and once she had had a drink, things would go a lot more smoothly.

"No," she shook her head, turning to face him with a light smile. "I'm sorry; I've just never gone out with a work client before."

He seemed baffled at her explanation and she again felt like she had stepped into a different world. At that, the car rolled to a stop in front of the restaurant. Stepping out, she was careful to close her door lightly and quickly walked onto the sidewalk. He followed close behind, bringing a hand up to the small of her back but not quite touching her.

They were quickly seated at a table tucked away from the rest of the room, waitress quickly bringing glasses of water along with their menus. She greeted them kindly and said she would be back in a few minutes.

Hurriedly glancing at the menu, Rey was taken aback by the prices on certain items. She couldn't help but think of how much she could buy from the grocery store with the same amount. Shaking her head, she reminded herself that he had asked her out and that he could clearly afford it. Just as she calmed her nerves, the waitress returned take their drink orders.

"How about we start with a round of sake?" He glanced at her with the question, almost asking permission before giving the waitress another nod. "And I will take…"

She spaced out for a moment, almost forgetting what she would normally order.

"A glass of white, I don't mind what kind." The waitress smiled again as she left the table, promising that she would be back shortly. Rey turned her attention back to her date again, eyes fixed on his lips as they touched the rim of his glass. His mouth seemed wide and she wondered what kissing him would feel like.

"Anything specific that you'd like to try?" He asked, picking up the menu and turning the pages slowly. Rey picked up her own, trying to make sense of all of the words that she didn't understand.

"I'm completely at a loss here," she laughed lightly, setting the menu down and glancing up to meet his eyes. "How about you give me a full Japanese experience?"

"I can do that," he nodded, looking back down at the menu as the waitress appeared with their drinks. She spaced out again as he placed the order, only recognizing a word or two he was saying. As the waitress left the table, he cleared his throat and set his hands down on the table, motioning towards the sake cups that had been placed there.

She smirked as their eyes met, ready to taste it for the first time. He grabbed his cup first, raising it up and announcing "cheers" before tossing it back. She followed suit and was shocked at the intensity of it and couldn't help but to take a sip of water to chase it. Her empty stomach immediately felt the warmth flush from her neck upwards.

"So," he shifted in his chair before settling into it comfortably. "Tell me about yourself."

"Well, there's not much to tell," she sipped her wine as a light smile perked the edges of lips upwards. "I'm Rey and I'm the receptionist at your hotel."

"Come on, you have to give me more than that."

"Okay," she crossed her legs under the table, placing her glass down and folding her hands. "I'm Rey. I work three jobs and live alone in a small apartment downtown. I crossed the pond a few years ago and thought I'd have my life more together than I currently do and am not sure how I'll proceed over the next couple years."

He nodded as she spoke, watching with intense eyes as he took a sip of his drink. She felt like a fool telling him about herself; he must have had the opposite kind of upbringing, what with how successful he seemed to be.

"Any family? Siblings?"

She scrunched her nose slightly at the question, feeling like she was playing twenty questions. "Nope, no one but a foster mother."

There was an awkward moment of silence as she took a generous sip of wine, nearly emptying the glass. He cleared his throat at that, motioning to the waitress to return to the table where he informed her that they would be taking the bottle. Feeling the alcohol hit her, she felt that she would rather have fun conversation.

"So," her voice sounded different now; more confident with a flirty drawl to it. "Where are you from?"

He inhaled through his mouth at that, clearing his throat and taking another swig. "California."

Rey raised her eyebrows at that, realizing how far from home he was. "Opposite coast, huh?"

They smiled at each other for a moment, taking a second to appreciate the noise of the other customers around them. The waitress appeared then, carrying a tray with cups of soup and small salads. Rey was glad she had come when she did as she wasn't quite sure where to continue the conversation.

"I have a more personal question to ask, if you don't mind." He'd asked between sips of his soup, waiting for her approving nod before continuing. "Would you be interested in working for me?"

At first, it seemed innocent enough. She was picking at her salad with a fork as she considered it, taking a second before asking for details.

"It's something that I would prefer discussing at a later date; I just wanted to gauge your interest."

She nodded at that, slightly confused about what the later date could possibly be, considering he was only checked in for two nights.

With that, the server approached the table again; this time with a giant plate of sushi and fish. She smirked lightly at the thought of eating it all.

/

The remainder of the dinner had gone well, with their bellies full of both sushi and liquor. She had learned a few mundane facts about him but nothing had been too personal or crazy.

As he finished paying the bill, he cleared his throat before looking at her.

"Would you like to have drinks back at the hotel?" To which her eyes widened slightly, realizing that she should have known better. Realizing how it must have sounded, he added, "I don't have any ulterior motives here, I promise. I was hoping to discuss a possible business arrangement."

Rey smirked at that; thinking that she could see right through his scheme. Maybe it was mostly the alcohol, but she agreed happily and stood to leave.

They left the restaurant laughing at each other, continuing their light banter as they walked the two blocks to the nearest liquor store. She stood by as he bought a bottle of something she didn't recognize and by the time they walked out of the small store, there was an Uber waiting.

Again, he opened her door for her before getting into the car on the opposite side.

"This is such a nice car," she quipped as she again glanced out the window at the people walking down the street. She was most definitely tipsy now and turned her attention back to Ben, leaning towards him and placing her hand on his large one. "No one I know around here even has a car. Do you have a car?"

He turned his large body to face her more comfortably as he moved the hand that she had grabbed to rest on the headrest behind her. At the loss, she instead shifter closer to rest the same hand on his thigh, close to his knee.

"I have two. Well, one is technically a company car but I have it most of the time. I probably use it more than my own car."

"Oh, yeah?" She was being flirty now, leaning in closer to him than he'd been expecting. Like he'd said, he was interested in talking business. "How nice are they?"

"Well," he was having difficulty crossing his legs and decided against it. "The company car is a BMW. I get a new model every year while the newer guys get the hand-me-downs."

She groaned at that, imaging the poor soul who had to drive a year old BMW.

"We have to keep up appearances," he said with a smirk, pushing a lock of her hair out of her face. "I drive an Audi. It's a few years old but barely any miles."

She leaned into his touch, moving her hand slowly, _slowly, _up his thigh, scooting closer to him in the process.

"Yeah?" She drawled, parting her lips slightly and waiting for him to close the distance. "And what color are they?" She breathed, practically into his mouth.

"Black." He was much closer now, leaning into her as her hand may have brushed the outline of something _large._

The car rolled to a stop in front of the hotel just as she could feel the warmth of his face on her. She groaned and rolled her eyes and she turned to open the door, making sure to grab her bag before hurriedly making her way through the automatic door.

Ben followed close behind with his brown bag of liquor, wrapping an arm around her and holding her on the opposite side of the check-in desk. She appreciated his discretion but couldn't help giggling once they were safely inside the elevator. She wrapped her arms around his neck now, standing on her tippy toes as she expected him to lean down to kiss her.

He didn't.

But he did smirk at her, teasing as he was too tall for her to reach. With his free hand, he reached down to hold her by the small of her back. She looked thunderstruck for a second; confused and slightly rejected. He had invited her to his room but didn't want to kiss her…?

She retreated once the elevator dinged, announcing that they had arrived on their floor. He motioned for her to exit first, _like a gentleman, _she again thought. Once out, she followed as he led her to his room, quickly pulling his key out and into the lock.

Rey had obviously known what the suites in her own hotel had looked like but stepping into one as a guest, rather than as a staff member, she was mesmerized by the wide marble floor leading to the bedroom and into the bathroom. She took another step in, turning to the left and seeing the small, but empty, bar set up off to the side of the living room.

Off to the left was the large bathroom featuring a tub big enough for three people and a walk-in shower. Rey knew that the bedroom contained a second TV and a king sized bed. She briefly wondered why his company would pay for such a room for a single man. Then again, they bought him a new BMW each year.

"I see the way you're looking around," he smirked, popping the cork out of the wine bottle before walking across the living room to pick up two glasses from the bar. "And I know what you're thinking: you want to take a dip in that tub."

She laughed at that, just drunk enough to not be embarrassed by his words. For a moment, she considered turning him down but who know when an opportunity like this would present itself to her again. So she gave him a crooked smile as she took the full glass from him, heading towards the bathroom and motioning for him to follow.

Although she wasn't comfortable being completely vulnerable and naked with him, she was willing to bathe in her undergarments.

Ben appeared taken aback by her invitation, he had been half kidding, after all. He couldn't help but peer in after her, watching as clothes fell to the ground with her just out of sight.

"I'm going to shower first," she announced, turning the faucet on before stepping into the shower. "You should too, so the water will be clean."

She hummed lightly as she ran the hotel soap bar over her exposed flesh, working around her bra and panties. She hadn't worn anything special today, just a plain black set.

She had brought her glass of wine into the shower, already having had half of it. Steam was beginning to fog the mirror and glass of the shower as he finally walked in, stripping down to his boxer briefs and watching her through the blurry panel of glass.

"Come in here," she purred, cracking the door open and attempting to reach for him. He considered it for a second; what harm could it be to have some innocent fun?

Rey was growing frustrated. This man had wined and dined her, then taken her back to his nice hotel room. Was she doing something wrong? She didn't think she could be more straightforward.

_Finally!_ She thought as he cracked open the shower door clad in underwear, broad shoulders forcing her to move to the opposite wall. Her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of him; he looked like a supermodel with all of his muscles. She was particularly mesmerized by the hair that started just under his belly button and trailed down into his boxers…

She turned her body to face him completely, attempting to press herself flush with his chest but again being shot down. He had politely turned himself in the opposite direction, allowing the water to run through his thick hair.

She visibly groaned then, throwing her hands in the air exasperated and slightly embarrassed.

"Am I doing something wrong?" She asked, trying to get him to face her. He feigned ignorance at that, innocently turning to face her as he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he replied slowly, taking the tiny bar of soap from her hand and copying what she had done. She couldn't help but stare as he soaped up his chest. "Like I said, I wanted to discuss business. We can soak and talk."

Rey raised an eyebrow at that, unable to stop herself as she opened the door to step out of the shower. He followed at the same time and she turned the water on in the tub, lightly toweling herself off before padding back into the living room for more wine. He had also bought himself a bottle of whiskey, apparently, which he had already cracked open.

As she returned to the bathroom, she checked the temperature of the water filling the tub before plopping herself inside of it, glass held tightly in her hand. She just now noticed that he had switched from a wine glass to a normal one, the amber liquid sloshing around as he stood there waiting to join.

He stared into his glass longingly for a moment, taking a second to toss the rest of it back and go refill it before he joined Rey. The water level instantly rose beyond the overflow drain as his large body relaxed into the tub.

"So," she began, feeling warm from both the wine and water. It wasn't quite a hot tub but it would do for a soak. "Are you finally going to tell me what kind of work I'd be doing?"

He glanced down at his drink again, taking another heavy swig before turning his eyes back to her.

"Like I said, it's a family business. And when my dad died, he left me to inherit most of it."

He paused, and she could tell so because he was now biting his lip while his neck began to flush red. The confident man that she had first gone out with tonight was beginning to lose his cool.

He cleared his throat then, stiffening his back and sticking out his chest now.

"I've been looking for someone to have my child."

And the second he said it, she could see him beating himself up for the delivery as she blushed from head to toe, her ears burning as her wide eyes stared at him.

He cleared his throat again, taking another sip of his drink before continuing:

"I'm not talking commitment, necessarily," he grit out, awkwardly glancing around the bathroom. "I would obviously do my best to keep her happy, but I'm not specifically talking marriage."

She paused for a second, thinking about how men could sell their sperm and how women could sell their eggs and womb. She'd always considered her eggs but had always changed her mind at the unknowing knowledge of the long-term effects. But this was another type of offer, something that she couldn't help but be curious of.

"So," she started, not being able to help herself from looking down at his shoulders and sharp collar bones. "You're looking for a surrogate."

She stated it rather than asked it, splashing the water to temporarily distract herself from the embarrassing conversation.

"Kind of," he stated, shifting his weight onto his opposite thigh. "It's complicated. My mother is pushing me towards marriage while my lawyer is saying it's as easy as having a child." He paused, staring at her face. "Don't get me wrong, my child would have the best that you could imagine."

Which she didn't doubt, with a man of his stature certainly being able to provide it.

"It's just been a struggle," he started, looking anywhere but at her face. "Because I don't want someone completely attached but I also don't want someone completely _detached."_

She understood the moment he said it, nodding along with it and staring down into the water again.

"Well," she put her most confident voice on as she stood from the tub, grabbing a nearby towel and beginning to dry herself. The vibe was completely different now and she wondered if it was time to leave or not. "I would really have to think about it."

"Of course," he stood too, grabbing both of the robes off of the hook on the bathroom door and handing her one. She silently thanked him as she wrapped it around herself, walking into the living room to sit on the couch after filling her glass again. He followed soon after, careful to sit at a comfortable distance. "I'm sure you have questions."

"Why me?" She blurted without much thought, immediately regretting how it must have sounded.

"There was just… something that I felt when I first saw you." He looked away from her, cheeks turning a light pink.

"How would it even work? Would I stay here or come to you? Or what would happen after… they're born?"

"I haven't figured out all the details yet," he said sheepishly, taking another sip from his glass. "I'd provide all the basics, of course. Medical bills, all of the necessities, moving costs— "

"Moving costs?" She quickly shot back, eyes shooting up to meet his.

"Well, I figured it would be easier and you didn't make it seem like much was holding you here…" He was right and Rey could guess that she could fit most of her belongings into a few boxes. "Everything is up for discussion but my main concern would be keeping you happy and healthy. I'd love to start by decreasing your workload. Three jobs is three too many for you."

Her cheeks lit up at that again, never having had a man dote on her in any kind of way. There was silence between them again, only broken as she cleared her throat and walked to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her, which almost seemed silly considering he'd already seen most of her, and began putting her clothes back on, minus her panties, not wanting to get her pants wet from them.

She emerged from the bathroom then, fully clothed and thrown off as she watched him fiddle with his phone.

"Here," he handed it to her and she stared down at the screen. "Type your address in and I'll get you an Uber."

She nodded at that, shaken by how this night had ended in such a weird way. She'd planned on staying over or at the very least leaving a few hours later than it was. He walked over to his suitcase then, digging through it for what looked like pajamas before disappearing behind the double doors of the bedroom. When he emerged, he was wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and dark flannel pants.

"I'll walk you down," he announced, sliding into a pair of sneakers that he'd packed. She followed him out the door and down the hallways where they waited, awkwardly, for the elevator to reach their floor. Rey nearly wanted to die at the tension weighing down between them. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

She paused for a second to understand what he was asking. And, finally, the elevator was there.

"No, I'm not here tomorrow."

He nodded as he stepped in, motioning for her to follow.

"My personal number is on the back of the business card," he began, turning fully to face her. "You can call or text anytime. But take your time deciding."

The elevator dinged as they reached the lobby floor where she took the lead towards the sliding doors. "I'll try to come back here sometime, maybe we could talk about this some more? Or something."

She nodded at him, taking the scarf that she'd borrowed before out from her pocket and handed it back to him. She was unsure how to say goodbye. A handshake? A hug? She instead smiled weakly at him and waved as she turned around, offering him a final "thank you" for the meal as she bee lined out into the cold, winter air where she could already see a car waiting for her.

This all seemed so unreal to her and she wasn't sure where to start processing it.


	3. Chapter 3

Weeks had now gone by, she realized as she found his business card at the bottom of her purse. She hadn't taken it out because she didn't want to text him yet but she'd left it because she knew she would. Three weeks exactly, she counted on the calendar at the reception desk.

Three weeks ago, she had met him here.

It had been a rough couple of weeks for her. She had been picking up extra shifts, barely sleeping or eating so that she could afford her rent for the month. With the end of the month looming, she had made just enough to pay her utilities and rent, leaving little for groceries or other expenses. As the months dragged on, she found herself working an increasing amount of hours to make ends meet. Surely this was the opposite of the American dream; working herself into an early grave with nothing to show for it.

The sound of the sliding door opening snapped her out of her daze, instantly moving to hide the business card beneath a stack of manila envelopes.

As she checked the new client in, she couldn't help but think back to the night that she had helped Ben. The night that she had been… propositioned.

Peeking at the card again, she couldn't help the shiver that ran through her as she read his name. Ben Solo. The possible father to her child, the answer to all of her monetary problems. Hell, she could probably even convince him to pay for her schooling should she choose to get a degree.

As if on cue, a young man carrying a vase of flowers entered through the door in front of her. Tulips, she recognized, expecting the man to approach her desk.

"Rey?" He asked, setting them down on the counter as he went to pull out his tablet.

"Yes?" She replied with a question, still thinking the flowers were meant for another client.

"Could you sign for these?" He asked politely, holding the tablet up for a signature.

She blanched at that, taken aback at the thought of who would send her flowers at work.

"Yes!" She replied quickly, brushing the confusion from her face just as Finn opened the door behind her to return to the seat next to her. She hurriedly signed for the flowers as he sat down, raising an eyebrow at the large bouquet.

"Well," he started, now standing to hover over the top of the flowers. "Where's the note?"

Rey was still shocked by the idea of all of this, confused about why she was receiving flowers and also mortified that they would send them to her at work. As much as she loved Finn, he was nosy and pushy.

She stood up again, then, leaning over the bouquet of flowers as he looked this way and that at her. As she turned it, she found the little card poking out from the bottom. Small and pink, she thought of how feminine this whole act felt. So unlike what she was normally like.

She silently scanned the card, blush creeping up her neck to the tips of her ears as she finished.

Ben had sent this. _Love, Ben _it had been signed, entirely too familiar as she moved to evade Finn's onslaught of questions. She hated to admit it, but she had nearly forgotten about him until today. Which was why, she suspected, he had sent flowers. It wasn't mean to be romantic so much as it was supposed to be a reminder.

She immediately hustled to move the flowers into the back employee's room before another client entered the hotel. But still, Finn was there, unrelenting in his questions.

"Who are they from?!" To which she replied, Ben. "How did you meet?!" To which she paused.

Finn had been there the night she had met him. In fact, Finn had been the one to first speak to Ben in private.

"Remember Ben," she began, trailing off to give him time to think. When he shook his head, her cheeks turned a bright red. "The guy who gave me his business card."

To which Finn perked up, immediately remembering the way things had gone that night.

"Oh," he stated simply. "_That guy. _You never did give me details on him._" _

"It wasn't a date," she started, turning in her chair to chat with him. "It was a business meeting that I haven't made a move on yet."

"But I still want details on _that,_ "he continued, locking his eyes onto her face intently. Not that it was any of his business, but she would oblige.

/

_Hi Ben, it's Rey. _Had been her initial text, not sure how to open conversation of this sort. Finn had convinced her to reach out, telling her how jealous he would be of her lifestyle. If he would take it, why shouldn't she?

She bit her lip as she waited for a reply. Surely this man was busy with his job, what with being in constant business meetings trying to sell his products. Surely she shouldn't wait with baited breath as the minutes ticked by, then an hour approached as she spent what little precious time that she had off waiting for a reply.

Her phone vibrated just as she gave up hope, sending a chill throughout her entire body.

_I didn't think you'd ever answer. I'll be back in town tonight. Pick you up at 8?"_

She was so unused to men flirting with her, or maybe not flirting, but showing interest. She quickly glanced at her calendar and realized that she would be working at that time. As if on cue, another text came in.

_If you're not available, quit that job. ;)_

That text had sent chills down her spine as she straightened in her spot on her sofa, the severity of the situation finally coming in clearly. Weeks later, he was steadfast in his mission, wishing for her to leave all of her stress behind.

She began to think about calling out of work—surely it was better than quitting on the spot— and felt a hint of guilt at leaving her coworkers hanging. She tried comforting herself with that, imagining her poor employer with his well-underpaid employees and she suddenly didn't feel bad. Taking a night off would be liberating, if not financially irresponsible. But she would worry about that next month.

/

Eight o'clock was rapidly approaching as she rushed to put on the last of her makeup. She had no idea what to wear, as he hadn't dropped any hints as to where they'd be going. Adding the final touch—a classic red lipstick—she glanced down at her phone to check for texts. Five minutes to eight and still nothing.

She still wasn't sure what her plans were that night. He'd mentioned more questions, but what did she even have to ask him? It all seemed so awkward.

As she snuck one last glance in the mirror, fixing a stray hair, she could hear the low honk of a horn from the front of her apartment building. Locking the deadbolt behind her, she hurried down the stairs and out the door to him standing there on the sidewalk, smile on his face.

"Hello, sweetheart," he greeted, turning to lead her into the black car waiting.

"Hi," she started, already thrown off by the pet name that she hadn't expected. "How are you?"

"Great, even better now that you're here."

Her cheeks lit up at that as she sat in the car, moving her legs out of the way quickly so that he could close the door behind her lightly. Once he made himself comfortable in his own seat, he turned slightly look at her in the cramped back seat. His body always seemed too large for any confined space, she noticed.

"I hope you don't mind that I picked where we'd go this time," he started, eyes intent on her face as she shook her head. The rest of the drive was short and quiet; Ben being the gentleman and letting her out of the car once again. Italian, she noted as she straightened herself out and began following his lead.

They were seated quickly with water served soon after.

"So," he intertwined his fingers with both of his elbows on the table. "Have you given it more thought?" Right. Straight to the point, she appreciated that. This time, she decided, she would stay sober.

"I've actually given it a lot. Well, as much as I could with how much I work," she nervously smiled as she took a sip of her water.

"And how are you feeling about it?"

"Confused, mostly. About why you would pick me and about how so much of this would work and I can't help but wonder about all the 'what ifs.'"

"Well, hopefully I can answer everything tonight," he said as he leaned comfortably back in his seat and crossed his legs. "I may be repeating myself but I just felt it. Looking at you, it just shocked me in a way I hadn't expected. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like I'm using you for anything but I'm just too busy for real romance or wooing."

"Right," she was blushing now, staring down at the table for a moment until he'd finished. "Can we start with my living situation? Would I stay here for a while or…?"

"If you wanted," he shrugged. "But I'd prefer you get familiar with the doctors and staff that I have. It would also probably be easier with all of the legal work we're going to have to figure out."

"I don't have a lawyer," she said sheepishly.

"I didn't expect you to," he said with a light laugh. "Like I said, if you come to me you can find a lawyer and I'm more than happy to cover the costs. The same with everything else: if you need it, I can provide it, within reason of course. I want you to be comfortable."

"Right," she said again, raking her mind for her next question. "How about custody?"

"That's," he cleared his throat, "definitely something to be discussed with counsel. Given the circumstances, our lawyers will have fun figuring it out. But I plan on being fair, assuming you will be as well. What kind of custody were you thinking?"

"Well, I was assuming we were going to split it, with me getting the majority, considering you're so busy." She said it softly— non-confrontationally.

"My mother would never allow that," and for the first time he made an annoyed face.

"Then I guess that settles that," she said with a small laugh. "Definitely something to let the lawyers handle. How about housing?"

"I'd prefer you to stay with me but if that doesn't work we can figure something out. My house is more than big enough for two, especially with me being gone so often. You'd have your own bathroom and you'd have your pick of rooms, obviously. I have help come a few days a week so you wouldn't need to worry about any of that."

"I think my biggest question," her cheeks lit up again, "is how the… getting pregnant would work. I didn't really have much time to look into it…"

He was all business as he replied. "That's something that you would talk about with a doctor. But from what I know, we won't need hormones unless it fails so many times." Seeing her face still slightly confused, he added: "it'll be in a doctor's office, don't get the wrong idea," he said with a small laugh.

"Then I think this might work."

He grinned at that, holding his glass of water up to hers. "Then let's toast to it."

She agreed with a smile.

/

After the four-course dinner, Rey had given Ben a wave goodbye as she walked up into her apartment.

As it turned out, she had next to nothing to pack, she realized as she glanced around her small apartment. Secondhand furniture that she would just get rid of—a stained brown couch that she had covered in a small blue blanket and a mismatched tan armchair—along with a makeshift coffee table made of a sturdy wooden box she had brought most of her belongings over in with a small dish towel laid out on top. Her living room was next to bare, she thought.

Glancing into the kitchen, she began making a mental checklist of the things she would get rid of or donate. A cheap and beat up toaster—garbage. A blender that she had only used once—donate.

She walked through the entirety of her one bedroom apartment sorting it all the same way, noting that most of the few things she owned were trash. Heading into the bathroom and bedroom were more of the same.

Ben had bought her a large suitcase and cardboard boxes online before he'd left, promising that he would take care of whatever it was that she decided to keep. Tomorrow, she'd discussed it with him, learning how to craft the perfect letter; she would put her two weeks into all of her jobs.

/

Walking out of what would be her final shift at the hotel; Rey had never felt so terrified yet free. She had said goodbye to the few people she considered friends and finished packing and discarding her things and all that was left to do was leave.

_This was never your real home, _she reasoned with herself. _If things don't work out, I can start over again. _

Ben had agreed to meet her tonight, to help her bring her bags to the airport and arrange to have her other things shipped with a moving company. Her landlord had agreed to end her lease early and everything seemed to be in order.

The bell to her apartment rang just then and she quickly ran down to let him in and for the first time, he was dressed casually in dark jeans and a plain gray sweater. She smiled inwardly as she took in his appearance, unable to feel like her hoodie and jeans held a candle to his outfit. She wondered briefly if he could wear and look great in just about anything.

"How's it look up there?" He asked, pulling the door the rest of the way open after she unlocked it. And for the first time, she realized, with embarrassment, that he would have to see her one bedroom apartment. She was nearly mortified at the thought, thinking that he would think less of her.

"Great," she said with a smile, hesitant to begin walking up to her floor. She had finished the cleaning and the apartment looked nice for the next tenants but her furniture still needed to be moved out.

"How many boxes need to be sent over?"

"Uh, only three," she replied with a blush, hoping he wouldn't think less of her as she unlocked the door. Her large suitcase had been stuffed to the brim and was sitting next to the door, about three feet away from the three neatly stacked cardboard boxes, each labeled accordingly.

"Alright, good. Ready to go?" He didn't appear to even be glancing around the room, maybe to save her the shame? She couldn't tell.

"Yeah," she nodded, grabbing her tote bag off of the couch.

As Ben easily lifted her heavy suitcase, she hesitated at the door for a moment, taking a second to say goodbye to the place she had once called home. _There's nothing to leave behind, _she thought, again reasoning that her life could be shoved into three boxes.

"The movers are scheduled to be there tomorrow, so your things will be shipped over in a few days."

She politely smiled as she followed him down the steps, exiting the building as he opened the glass door in front of her.

/

The thirty minute drive had mostly been quiet. Rey hadn't intentionally been silent but she couldn't bring herself to make small talk. As if understanding, Ben hadn't pushed beyond the basics.

"Have you been on a plane before?"

"Only once, from England. How long is the flight?"

"A little more than six hours. You can do whatever you want on it, obviously."

Then there was more awkward silence, to which he filled with poking around on his tablet, no doubt checking and replying to emails.

As the car pulled up to the drop-off, she climbed out and walked onto the sidewalk as Ben grabbed her bag from the back, once again amazed by how many people were bustling around her. Although she lived in a big city, she had never quite gotten used to it, what with her hometown being small.

Ben easily maneuvered her to the front desk, labeling her bag to be checked as he carried his own smaller carry-on. From there, they waited on lines to be checked, and then seated themselves at their gate while they waited to be let on the plane. First-class of course, with boarding priority and all.

"How often do you do this?" She asked, looking around the airport at all of the people doing various things.

"Hmm," he glanced to the ceiling in thought, brow furrowed. "It depends. I travel a lot but I like to drive when I can. I fly about six times a month."

Rey's mouth almost dropped at that, realizing that, yes, he was apparently never home. She _would_ have the house to herself, then. She, again, wondered how having a child with this man would work when he was constantly gone. Was cutting back on trips an option? Would he even be willing to do it, if it was? He seemed to be a man who enjoyed what he did. Custody was looking to lean further in her favor.

"Do you like it?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "I like my job and, not to brag, but I'm good at it. That said, it loses its appeal the longer I do it. Which is why I drive. With you staying, I'm probably going to cut back a bit or maybe you'd like to come with me?"

Her cheeks lit up at that. Hadn't he already given her enough? Sure, he was getting something huge in return but traveling on top of everything else already provided? It seemed unreal.

Just as she was about to answer, the woman on the intercom announced that priority seating was about to begin. They stood to stand on their line, boarding passes in hand, and Rey again appreciated the size of the man. She felt so small next to him, what with his shoulders and waist seemingly twice the width of her own.

Ben led her in front of himself as they boarded, letting her choose the seat out of their two tickets. First-class had never been something she'd dream of but here she was, sitting in the spacious single seat while professionally dressed men and women walked past her.

As she snuck another glanced towards him, she was met with a smirk.

/

The flight ended without a hitch and they were standing outside, waiting for their car, bags in tow. The weather was much warmer here and she took off her hoodie, long sleeve shirt underneath. She hadn't thought to check the weather because she had never been somewhere so comfortably warm in the middle of the winter.

_Another Lexus, _she thought as it pulled in to park in front of them. Ben took her bag again, motioning for her to get in while he busied himself. The leather was cool under her palms and the radio was on low, spouting some kind of pop nonsense.

As Ben climbed in next to her and the car began to move—onto a busy highway, she noted— her eyes widened at the amount of cars surrounding them. This was all unfamiliar territory but she didn't want that to be too obvious.

When they finally pulled up in front of large, grey, modern home, she can't help that her jaw dropped. Sure, the rest of the houses on the way up had been big and fancy but she hadn't quite been expecting his to be so… large.

"You ready?" He asked, sensing her hesitation.

"Oh, um, yeah."

They walked up the four car driveway, bags in tow, and finally the gravity of the situation hit her. Sure, he'd mentioned nice things but she hadn't been able to picture them. But here, in front of her, were the black BMW and Audi that he had mentioned before. Two very real and expensive cars. Even glancing at the neighbors' driveways, she could see that every one of them had shiny, barely used looking cars.

"There's no one here now," he spoke as he unlocked the door and ushered her in. "But my mother wants to come by later. If that's no okay then I'll put it off for a few days, until you're settled. I'll give you the tour."

He announced the rooms as they entered them: the kitchen with its white, glass cabinets surrounded by more floor-to-ceiling windows than she could count. Next the perfectly neat living room with the largest TV she had ever seen mounted to the wall in front of a black leather couch. There was one bedroom downstairs with an adjoining full bath and three more upstairs. Two of them had large beds in them and one appeared to be his office. When they got to the master bedroom—his bedroom—she blanched at the size of it.

Although there wasn't much inside of it, what little it had was stylishly modern and pristinely clean. The adjoining master bathroom was bigger than any bathroom she'd ever seen. Two sinks—who needed two sinks?—with a large tub and walk in shower. What did any single man need with this entire house? Even worse, a man who was never even home.

"This is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined," she quipped as they walked down the stairs and over to the luggage.

"I like nice things," he admitted, standing over the bags. "Did you decide which room you'd like?"

"Yeah, the one down the hall if that's ok." It was the room farthest down the hall, next to his office but on the opposite side of the house from the master bedroom. She didn't want to appear rude, like she was running away from him, but it made her more comfortable. He nodded and walked up the stairs again, with her bag this time and Rey in tow. He set it down with a smile and left her to unpack her things.

/

She was, again, overwhelmed by the size of her room alone. It fit her queen sized bed, two dressers and a writing desk with room to spare. Peeking into the closet, she realized it was about half the size of her bedroom. She didn't have enough things to even make a dent in the space.

Finally, she approached the glass floor length door that opened onto an upper deck, which had been a part of why she picked this room. She opened it slowly, as if she was a child sneaking something past her mother, and took light steps onto the porch. She sighed as she leaned on the railing, taking in the incredible waterside view of a small lake.

This, she decided, was much closer to the American dream.

/

Ben had decided to put meeting his mother off a few days rather than overwhelm her with anything else. He ordered dinner for them that night—a simple pizza—and they sat on the back patio, overlooking the pool with a bottle of wine.

"So when are we going to start all of this?" She asked between sips, finally relaxing a bit from the liquor.

"I'm not completely sure. After the meeting with my mother, and getting you a lawyer, we'll have to sign a donor agreement with a bunch of other paperwork, get you checked out by a doctor, probably see a psychologist, and then find a fertility clinic or doctor that'll do this for us. You can pick all of the specialists yourself or I can have my mother ask around, it's up to you. Either way, I want this to go as smoothly as possible."

"Mm," she hummed once he was finished speaking, holding the glass between her hands as she pulled her knees to her chest.

"It's not too late to change your mind, you know. I wouldn't just kick you out if you did. I can get you a job and help find a place to live so don't feel obligated."

"I don't, it's just that I'm still getting used to the idea." Sure, she'd had weeks to prepare and she'd done a little research in her precious few moments of free time but she would need some time for the adjustment. Speaking of which, she was finally beginning to feel the jetlag.

"I'm going to head to bed," she said, standing from her seat and stretching her arms. Ben nodded and said goodnight as she walked inside to put her wine glass in the dishwasher. He had mentioned help and that she didn't need to worry about cleaning but she couldn't help it.

Walking into her room, she again couldn't help but appreciate its size. Stripping into her pajamas, the bed seemed to completely engulf her and lull her to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Rey absently hears a doorbell ring that wakes her from her sleep.

Sitting up groggily, she vaguely processes the small puddle where her spit had wet her pillow. She takes a deep breath and stretches her arms over her head as her feet hit the floor. It's after nine, she hadn't meant to sleep in but now she can hear the voice of an older woman vibrating up the stairs and down the hall. She realizes now that Ben's mother had come to meet her earlier than planned.

Rushing into the bathroom, she quickly turns the shower on and grabs her toiletries from her tote bag before hopping in. The water pressure is heavenly, she thinks, comparing it to the soft water flow of the shower back at her apartment. Glancing down, she sees that Ben must have already stocked the tub with fancy soaps reading _cruelty free, all natural, organic,_ or _paraben free. _This, she thinks, must have been his mother's work.

Hurriedly exiting the shower, she quickly dries off and realizes she had packed her hair dryer in one of the boxes. Cursing under her breath, she throws on the cutest outfit that she can think of: jeans with an oversized cardigan over a solid blue shirt. Bigger clothes had always made her feel safer.

As quietly as she can, she opens the bedroom door and sneaks down the hallway, pausing in the loft before continuing to the edge of the top step. No dice, she thought, unable to hear anything that was being said. Just the loud, confident voice and undecipherable words. Inwardly, she wondered how to politely sneak down the stairs; or maybe she was supposed to stay in her room and wait for Ben to come get her.

Taking one step further, she was mortified when the top step creaked loudly. Loudly enough that she knew that it had given her away.

"Is that her?"

Now she could hear her, her voice growing louder with each word. She briefly thought of running back into the room; letting them knock on her door rather than appearing to be an eavesdropper. Instead, she put on the brightest (and fakest) smile that she could muster as she slowly took the stairs downward— one at a time— until she could see the outline of the woman at the bottom, genuine smile on her face.

"You must be Rey! Come, come and let me see all of you."

She looked and sounded like a nice woman and Rey felt herself relax at her sight, already thinking that she may grow to love this woman as a mother. After all, she'd never had a real one.

"Hello," she said sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as she reached the bottom of the landing. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Solo." She raised her hand to shake, making direct eye contact with her softest face.

Leia wasn't having it. Instead, she reached her arms out wide and came in close, completely enveloping Rey in a bear hug. She was warm and soft with clothes that smelled of Lavender.

"It's so nice to finally meet you! Please, call me Leia. I insist."

Finally? Rey thought, thinking that she'd only officially said yes two weeks ago. Had Ben mentioned her sooner?

"Is Ben treating you well? Is there anything you need?"

She continued with an onslaught of questions, assuring her at the end that she would get her anything that she needed.

Glancing over at Ben, she noticed that he looked slightly uncomfortable, shifting on his feet and looking anywhere but at her. _This isn't right_, she thought, _where did confident Ben go?_

"So, dear," started Leia, taking one of Rey's hands into her own as she led her into the living room to sit on opposite couches in order to face each other. "First of all, I live about ten minutes away and you're always welcome there. I usually have help and you can ask them to cook or do anything you need. They work for me and will come to Ben's as well. I'll introduce you whenever you come over," she said with another smile. "Second, I want to make myself available in finding a doctor and lawyer. I assure you, I've had my secretary research the best of the best and that's what you'll get."

Rey wasn't used to being doted on at all and she wasn't sure how to handle it. She could tell that Leia genuinely cared for her already and meant all of the things she was saying but she almost felt guilty accepting her kindness.

"I haven't had a chance to look into anyone yet," she said as she crossed her legs and leaned on the arm rest. "I hadn't even asked for an address before I got here."

They both laughed at that, seemingly blaming Ben for leaving out important details but Rey knew she was also to blame. She should have been smart enough to get the basics before moving across the country.

"Well, I'll always make myself available to you." She hands Rey a card. "My personal number is on the back and my business number puts you through to my secretary who can also help."

"Right," Rey nodded, inspecting the classy and very professional card that was now in her hands. "Is there anything that I can do? I mean, you guys are giving me so much and I feel like I'm being selfish…"

"No, dear. We want to take care of you. Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty."

With that, Ben came into the room and offered Rey a sleek, black laptop. She stared at it for a minute, not quite sure what to make of it.

"I can take you to any appointments that you make. Or I can get you a car, or—"

"Mother," Ben cut her off, sending her and exasperated look. "She knows how to take care of herself."

"Oh, of course. Right." She stood now and Rey followed her to her feet and was again drawn into Leia in another tight hug. "I'll be on my way for today then," she started walking towards the door then, pausing to grab her bag off of the couch. "You let me know about all of this." And she winked at Ben before opening the door and taking her leave.

Rey stared for a moment, still processing everything that had just been said. She was thankful to finally have a safety net to fall back on.

"Sorry about her," Ben finally said, walking into the kitchen area and opening the fridge. "All of that before you even got to have breakfast." He was taking eggs out of the fridge now, setting them on the counter before going back for a package of bacon.

"Don't worry about her, she seems sweet." Rey smiled as she spoke, following him into the kitchen to sit at the large island. "You don't have to cook for me, you know."

"Yeah, I know. But I want to. Breakfast is my favorite to cook," he said with a smirk as he reached for a pan off of the stove overhead. "I'm going to head back into work after this."

Rey nodded, opening the laptop and turning it on.

"I guess I'll… find everyone that I need today."

"Great, great," Ben nodded as he laid bacon in a pan and reached for a loaf of bread. "I'll leave a set of keys for you in case you want to go out. You can use my Uber account or drive the Audi. Here, give me your phone and I'll sign you in."

She blanched for a moment, again forgetting the privilege she was now living with.

"And," he walked over to the black suit jacket draped over the back of the couch, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. "You can have this card for now," he didn't even blink as her mouth dropped open, eyeing the heavy black American Express that he was about to hand her. "You can get anything that you need or some things that you want, my treat."

He smiled as he looked up, putting his wallet down and walking back to the cooking bacon. Cracking an egg open, he was acting like it was no big deal. Rey, on the other hand, was so shocked that she forgot how to move until a plate was placed in front of her.

"Th-thank you," she said, unable to look him in the eye as he stood on the opposite side of the island, handing her a fork before starting to eat.

"Oh, and I'm not sure if you work out," he said around bites, gesturing to the door on the other wall that she hadn't noticed yesterday. "That's my gym."

"Is there anything you don't have?" She laughed as she poked at a piece of egg.

Ben let out a small laugh as he finished his food, leaving the dirty dish in the sink.

"I have the things I need but I don't like indulging in much more."

"Of course," Rey replied as he washed his hands, watching as he moved to lean over the island.

"Can I take you to dinner later?"

"Sure." Her cheeks lit up at that and she had to remind herself to keep it professional. He wasn't interested in _her, _she told herself. He wanted a business arrangement, nothing more.

"Alright, then I'm going to get dressed and go to work." She nodded at him and wished him a good day as he left the house and got into the company car.

/

As it turned out, finding a lawyer was harder than she'd expected.

She'd narrowed her options down to family law but wasn't sure where to go from there. Just because a lawyer was expensive didn't mean they were good, right? Should she go with a firm or someone in private practice? All of them listed their accomplishments on their pages, where they'd gotten their degrees and how many years they'd been practicing. To narrow it down further, she decided to only schedule interviews with the lawyers who had the online option on their websites. Get with the times, right?

After looking through what seemed like thousands of local lawyers, she had managed to set up three interviews over the next two days.

Moving onto the next task, she had to pick a doctor. Or did she want a midwife? Nurse practitioner? What was even the difference? Another thing to look into.

She came across one nurse—Jannah Lando— and her profile went into great detail on her methods and how many children she had successfully birthed. She was willing to work in a hospital or deliver at home. Rey hadn't even thought about an at-home birth. Would Ben allow that? She was sure Leia would love the idea of it but how safe would it be?

Then there was the option of natural, which position she'd like to be, at-home water birth? Epidural or no? Would an epidural be bad for the baby?

Then there was the option of birthing classes, prenatal yoga and prenatal vitamins. If she went to classes, would she go alone? That sounded so lonely.

This was overwhelming. She closed the laptop and put her head down.

/

She hadn't realized how much time had passed when the front door opened and there was Ben, in his tailored suit looking… delicious, she thought. As he took off his jacket, she wondered if she'd appreciated how he looked in his dress shirt. The way it highlighted his wide shoulders and hugged his biceps so slightly… She had to shake her head to stop staring.

"Hey," she greeted, once she had reeled her thoughts in. "How was your day?"

"Good, thanks. I see you didn't go out today. Something wrong?"

"Nah, I was just busy researching all of… this."

"Anything good?" He was taking off his tie now and she squirmed in her seat, feeling a heat starting to run through her body.

"I found a few lawyers and made an appointment with a nurse practitioner." He nodded at that, bending over to take his shoes off and set them neatly by the door. As he unbuttoned the top button on his shirt, Rey forced herself to look away. He was acting so casual, did he really not realize that he looked good in his clothing—and would definitely look even better without them. She shook her head thinking about it.

"That's good. Are you ready for dinner? Just let me go get changed."

She couldn't help but wish she could follow him as he changed. Why was she so suddenly into him? It couldn't be healthy.

He came down the stairs and walked with her to his personal car, taking a second to appreciate the smooth leather seats and how clean the interior was. Just how neat was this man?

"I made a reservation," he started as he turned the engine over and buckled his seatbelt. "Do you like seafood? I figured we should give you one last taste of fish before this starts."

"Yeah," she smiled, "it's been a while, though."

They made small talk while they drove, Ben talking about what a normal day looks like for him and Rey lamenting over how much work getting pregnant was going to be. They both laughed at it, realizing that she was right.

Things were getting easier, she thought as they casually chatted over appetizers. She told him about her time in England while he talked about his mother and emotionally unavailable father. While his father was mostly absent, save for holidays, his mother tried her best to parent for the both of them. He'd mentioned a specific relative—his uncle Luke— who seemed like someone that she'd want to meet. He sounded fun at parties.

As the check arrived, she felt that she had gotten to know him a little better. Not only had their professional bond grown, she genuinely felt that they could successfully co-parent. While they didn't share many similarities, their personalities just… worked together. She hoped that Ben felt the same way.

When he unlocked the front door to let her inside, she couldn't help but want to spend more time with him. In the interest of professionalism, she couldn't bring herself to voice her wish. But surely spending another hour together—maybe watching a movie?—wouldn't be against any imaginary rules. She couldn't push it, she decided.

After placing her leftovers in the fridge, she plopped herself onto his couch, holding a pillow to her middle, inwardly hoping that he would sit with her. Keeping her fingers crossed, she watched as he pulled glasses out of nowhere and put them on, as if he couldn't get any more attractive. Letting a choked breath out, she busied herself looking for the remote and was thankful that the buttons presented a problem to her. She didn't know how to use it.

"Need help?" He seemed to have read her mind and in the next moment, he was there, taking up space in her personal bubble and she didn't mind. In fact, she leaned slightly closer under the guise of watching him fiddle with the remote, yeah, that's exactly why her whole thigh was pressed to his and she was holding her breath. "This is the wrong remote. Yeah, it's confusing, but this is the right one." He picked it up and turned to her as she realized that she was close enough to smell his cologne and this definitely wasn't appropriate.

"Hahahaha," she forced out of herself as she recoiled as quickly as she could, nearly knocking her knee into the coffee table in the process. Good, Ben hadn't seemed to notice her slip up or creeping and was now just innocently glancing in her direction, waiting for her to take the remote from his hand. "Thanks, I've never been good with this kind of thing."

_Be cool, be ice cold, _she told herself, clearing her throat as her fingers brushed his palm while she took the device from his hands.

"I have some work that I need to finish," her heart sunk and she wondered, why, _why_ was she getting upset. "I'll be in my office if you need anything."

She smiled and thanked him again, for what she wasn't sure, and idly turned back to the TV, wishing that he'd stayed with her.

/

Sitting in the doctor's office dressed only in a paper gown, Rey felt completely vulnerable. She wished that getting pregnant was easier. It was easier for everyone _besides_ her. This was a whole process.

She fiddled with her phone until there was a light knock on the door and the tall woman with a slight accent walked in, asking how she was doing very politely.

"I'm doing great, how about you?"

"Good, thanks. Now, what brings you in today? I see you're a new patient."

"Yeah, well this is kind of complicated, I'm sure you've seen at least similar before," she was rambling now, slightly embarrassed in front of this highly educated and successful woman. "I'm looking to go through with an intrauterine insemination. I'm not exactly sure what kinds of tests I need."

The doctor smiled at her and nodded, scribbling on her chart before putting it down on the small counter. She gloved her hands before approaching her, pulling the stirrups from their slot.

"Well, aside from the blood work that I'm going to order, we're going to run some STI tests as well as a pap smear." She spoke so softly and reassuringly. "I'm sure you've done this before. Just place your feet in these and we'll have a look."

Yes, Rey had done this before but it never made it easier.

"Scoot down a bit further, please." Then: "You're going to feel my fingers now, then some pressure, more pressure," finally sufficiently bared enough, the nurse took a few swabs and freed her of the speculum. "Quick enough, right?"

"Yeah," Rey laughed halfheartedly, closing her legs the moment she could.

"Next up is the planning. I assume you know about ovulation and when it is?" Rey nodded. "Good, well here's a pamphlet on how to track it, there's a few tests in there and I hope you have a thermometer at home. If you're looking to get this done as quickly as possible then you should be good for an IUI trial during your next ovulation. Now that we have that done, another nurse will take you to get blood drawn." With a smile, the practitioner was gone, leaving Rey slightly tender inside.

As soon as her blood had been drawn, she made her way down the medical building and into the safety of Ben's car, sighing a deep breath of relief. She had finished one, one hundredth of the things she felt she had to do. Next up was the psychologist appointment that Leia had set up with her own therapist. Reassuring? She wasn't sure.

After driving the ten minutes away, she took another breath before stepping out of the car. _Here we go, _she thought as she approached the building.

/

Slumping into the couch once she got home, Rey felt spent. She'd left the psychologist with her blessing to continue with the plan.

Going over her mental checklist, she just had to choose a lawyer now, which was already proving to be stressful and she was sure it would only get worse.

That night, Ben brought home a thick folder containing the contract that his own lawyer had drawn up. It seemed like it was inches thick and she couldn't even imagine reading through it, much less understanding any of the legal mumbo-jumbo.

She'd leave it for tomorrow, she decided, already having done enough that day.


End file.
